How long should you hold half locust pose per side when you are new to the exercise?

Hold each leg for 3 to 5 breaths, doing 2 rounds per side with the arms resting alongside the body. Once both sides feel even in height and control, add a round rather than lifting the leg any higher first.

How do I make half locust pose easier or harder?

Tuck the hands under the hips for extra support to make it easier while the glute and hamstring get used to the lift. To make it harder, lift the opposite-side arm off the floor at the same time as the leg, or extend the hold by a breath or two.

What is half locust pose good for, and when is it not the right choice?

It isolates one side of the posterior chain at a time, useful for correcting a side-to-side strength imbalance before moving to the two-leg version. It is not the right choice if lifting the leg causes a pinching sensation in the low back, which is worth stopping and reassessing rather than pushing through.

Intermediate

Half Locust Pose

Half Locust isolates one side of the posterior chain, lifting a single straight leg to strengthen the glute, hamstring, and spinal extensors without the full effort of the two-leg version. It is a good entry to backbend strengthening and a fine daily posture builder. Use it to prepare for Full Locust and Superman.

Equipment: Body Weight
Body part: Back, Glutes
Type: Strength, Yoga
Browse by muscle: Erector Spinae, Gluteus Maximus

How to do it

1
Lie face down with the arms alongside the body, palms down or tucked under the hips.
2
Rest the chin or forehead lightly on the mat and lengthen the legs behind you.
3
Press the hips down and lift one straight leg as high as it will go without twisting.
4
Keep the knee straight and the pelvis level, driving the lift from the glute.
5
Hold for three to five breaths, then lower the leg with control.
6
Repeat on the other leg, keeping the effort even side to side.

Tips

Keep both hip points pressing evenly into the floor so the pelvis does not rotate.
Lead the lift from the glute and hamstring, not by cranking the lower back.
Keep the neck long and the shoulders relaxed; avoid straining the head upward.
Raise the leg only to a pain-free height; range will grow as the posterior chain strengthens.

Variations

Common mistakes

The lifted leg drifts out to the side instead of staying in line with the hip, turning a straight extension into an abduction the pose does not train.
The knee bends slightly on the lifted side to gain a little extra height, trading real hip-extension range for a shortcut that does not count.
Rushing through both sides back to back without resetting the breath means the second leg gets less control than the first.
The supporting-side hip lifts off the mat to help the working leg rise higher, the pelvis compensating instead of the glute doing the work.
Comparing height between the two legs and forcing the weaker side to match ignores that some asymmetry is normal and closes with practice, not force.

Frequently asked

How long should you hold half locust pose per side when you are new to the exercise?: Hold each leg for 3 to 5 breaths, doing 2 rounds per side with the arms resting alongside the body. Once both sides feel even in height and control, add a round rather than lifting the leg any higher first.
How do I make half locust pose easier or harder?: Tuck the hands under the hips for extra support to make it easier while the glute and hamstring get used to the lift. To make it harder, lift the opposite-side arm off the floor at the same time as the leg, or extend the hold by a breath or two.
What is half locust pose good for, and when is it not the right choice?: It isolates one side of the posterior chain at a time, useful for correcting a side-to-side strength imbalance before moving to the two-leg version. It is not the right choice if lifting the leg causes a pinching sensation in the low back, which is worth stopping and reassessing rather than pushing through.

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